Naomi Osaka's production company raises $5M

Tennis player Naomi Osaka's production company Hana Kuma has raised $5M in a "fundraising round that will also see it spin off from The SpringHill Company, which helped launch it less than a year ago." Investors in the new round include SpringHill, which was founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, as well as Epic Games, Fenway Sports Group, Japanese conglomerate The Kinoshita Group, and investment firm Disruptive. For Hana Kuma, the new round means an "expansion of its programming, including into the anime and manga spheres." In connection with the spin off, SpringHill VP/Strategic Partnerships Matt DeMartis will "join Hana Kuma as GM." Meanwhile, SpringHill is planning to "launch other companies in partnership with athletes -- and some non-athletes -- in the future, leveraging its experience building its own business, and others like Hana Kuma" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/20).